Index mechanism for a machine



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-' T m i 025 a /Yz(e/Z27f B BY 1 F aIEL-j/J p 1 rwm United States PatentOfiice Continuation of application Ser. No. 301,123, July 26,

1952. This application Apr. 9, 1958, Ser, No. 730,037 9 Claims. (Cl. v2938) This invention relates to index mechanisms for machines, and particularly to an index mechanism which accurately locates a work part seriatiin relative to one or a plurality of tools and is a continuation of Serial No. 301,123, filed July 26, 1952, now abandoned.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide a movable workpiece supporting table and an index mechanism which controls the advancement of the table from one point to another so that a tool may operate thereon at said points. m

It is another object of the invention to provide an in-' dex plate having a plurality of notches therein engageable seriatim by an index finger which locates a workpiece supporting table relative to a tool which performs work operations on the workpiece at said points;

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a plurality of index plates having different series of notches therein for locating a workpiece supporting table at a plurality of points relative to a plurality of different tools which perform a plurality of series of work operations at equally or variably spaced points on the workpiece.

It is a still-further object of the invention to provide index rings for a machine which accurately locate a Workpiece supporting table relative to one or a plurality of tools, with the notches in the ring having one face disposed radially of the center of the table and with a sloping surface opposite thereto engageable with a similarly shaped finger to produce a wedging action which accurately aligns the radial faces, one of said notches being shallower than the others and of less width so that a wedging action will occur while limiting the movement of the finger to thereby interrupt the machine operation.

It is a further object of the invention to have the index fingers which are engageable in the notches of the plates operated automatically from insertion to withdrawal position and to have a constant load applied to advance the table to the next adjacent notch position as soon as a finger is withdrawn. 9 i

It is a still further object of the invention to provide tool supporting slides on the base of the machine for supporting self-advancing tools secured. thereto or slides which have automatic advancing means for supporting tools which are not self-advancing. f

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or' will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description, taken in. conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a machine having tool.

supporting slides thereon surrounding a work supporting table which is indexed by one or a plurality ofvindex plates, embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front View in elevation of the structure illustrated in FIG. 1, with parts'broken away and parts in section;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the rotatabletable and tool supporting slide provided on" the machine illustrated in FIG. 1; I

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of thestructure illustrated in FIG: 3, takenon the line44 thereof; J i

FIG. 5 is an endview of the structure iilllStIfL'lidIIl FIG. 4, as viewed from the point 5 thereof;

FIG. 6 is a'brokenplanview-of a tool'supporting fixture shown on the machine'illustrated in Fret-11;

' for supporting and guiding an index slide 54. .A T'

22 1 forming 'a portion of Patented Dec. 5, 1961 FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 6, taken on the line 7-7 thereof;

FIG. 8 is a-plan View of structure, similar to that illustrated in FIG. 6, with a power operated work supporting slide applied thereto;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 8, taken on the line 9-9 thereof;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged, sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 7, taken on the line ilk-1t thereof;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged, sectional view of the structure illustrated inFIG. 9, taken on the line 11-11 thereof;

FIG, 12 is a broken plan view of a machine havinga single index ring and index finger, showing a slightly different form of the invention, with the finger in a shallow notch;

FIG. 13 is an end view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3, as viewed from point 13 thereof;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 12, taken on the line 14-14 thereof;

FIG. 15 is a broken view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 3, showing the finger in a notch of greater depth;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view of a longitudinally movable table having index rnechanismof the present invention mounted thereon; 7 FIG. 17, is a broken elevational View of the structure illustrated in FIG. 16, as viewed from point 17 thereof;

FIG. 18 is a diagrammatical view of the hydraulic circuit employed with the machine of the present invention, and

FIG. 19 is a wiring diagram useful with the diagram of FIG. 18. 1 I I Referring to FIGS. 1 to 11 inclusive, the machine of the present invention comprises a base 20 having a central standard 21 and a tool supporting flange 22 supported outwardly on the standard. The flange cut away at the front of the machine, leaving a flat surface 23 providing a loading station. The standard 21 supports a hollow shaft 24 on a bearing 25 at the top and a bearing 26 at the bottom. A spanner nut 27 is screwed upon the end of the shaft 24 and is sealed to the base 22 by a sealing washer 28. A passageway 29 admits a lubricant to the bearing 26, while a passageway 31 admits a lubricant to the bearing 25. The shaft 24 carries a sealing plate 32, having a downwardly extending flange 33 on the end which extends over an upwardly extending flange 34 on the tool supporting flange 22.

.The shaft 24 has an overhanging portion 35 on which a ring gear 36 is secured, having a plurality of teeth 37 on its outer periphery. The overhanging portion 35 also supports an an'nulai-body 38 on which a plurality of indexring's 39 are secured by a clamping ring41. The body 38 is accurately located on the shaft by a locating bushing 42 secured in position by ascrew 43. A series of bosses 44 are spaced about the tool supporting flange the support for the flange onthe' standard 21 Each of the bosses 44 has a' housing 45 secured thereto forming a head for the cylinder 46 which is threaded therein. The cylinder contains a piston 47 having an inwardly extending rod portion 48 and an out wardly extending rod portion 49 which projects outwardly of. the housing 45. The extending end 51 of the rod 'portion 49 is reduced in diameter and is provided with an annular'carnming ring 52, for a purpose which willbe explained hereinafter.' v I l The, inner portion of the boss 44 is provided with ways slot 55 is provided on the outer end of the index slide 54 and a T head 56 is provided on. the inner end of the inner pistonporti'on 48 to form a releasable connection between the index slide The inner? end 22 has a portion- 54 and the end of the piston portion,48.' of the'index slide 5,4'has a cam finger 57 I ther-eon, having a face 53 which is'radially disposed'relw r 2 adjacent notches.

tive to the center of the shaft 24 and a sloping face 59 oppositely disposed thereto. Between the faces 58 and 59, a substantially flat face 61 is provided on the forward end of the finger.

The number of the bosses which are equipped with the index mechanisms depends upon the number of index rings 39 which are to be employed on a particular machine. If all of the bosses have index mechanisms mounted thereon, one or all or any number thereof may be utilized to accurately locate the workpiece relative to the tools which are tooperate thereon. In this connection, it will be noted that the index rings 39 are releasably supported on the body 38 so that different index rings may be utilized having notches 62 therein spaced in a manner to locate the workpiece relative to one or the plurality of tools which are to operate on the workpiece. The notches 62 have a surface 63 which is radially disposed relative to the center of the shaft 24 and a sloping face 64 opposite thereto which has the same slope as the sloping face 59 on the cam finger 57 of the index side. The depth of the notch 62 is such that when the faces 58 and 59 abut the faces 63 and 64, a wedging action occurs between the faces since the end face 61 of the cam finger is spaced from the bottom of the notch. In this relationship, assurance is always had that the face 63 of the notch is radially disposed relative to the face 58 of the cam finger, which thereby accurately locates the shaft 24 relative to the tool supporting flange 22.

As illustrated in FIG. 12, it will be noted that a notch 65 in the series is shallower than the notch 62 and also narrower so that the index slide is prevented from moving its full distance inwardly a the faces 63 and 64 are engaged by the faces 58 and 59 of the finger. The faces 63 and 64 are spaced a less distance apart so that a Wedging action will occur at the shallow notch to accurately locate the shaft 24 relative to the tool supporting flange 22. The reason for employing this shallower and narrower notch 65 will be explained hereinafter.

A plate 66, as illustrated in FIG. 5, in mounted on each of the housings 45, secured thereto by screws 67. The plates support a limit switch 68 of the double-throw type, actuated by a plunger 69. The limit switch is so located as to have the end of the plunger disposed in the path of movement of the cam ring 52 which, when moved outwardly as the slide 54 is retracted, engages the plunger 69 and moves it inwardly of the limit switch 68 to thereby interrupt one circuit and complete a second circuit. The interruption of the one circuit connects a passage 71 to the inner end of the pistonto tank, and the closing of the second circuit connects a passageway 72 to the outer side of the piston 47 to a source of fluid. Thus, immediately upon the retraction of the slide 54 and the separation of the cam finger 57 from a notch .62, the movement of the piston 47 and slide 54 is reversed causing the inner surface 61 of the finger to engage the peripheral surface 73 of the index ring 39 between the notches therein.

The ring gear 36, as illustrated in FIG. 4, has a pinion 74 in contact with the teeth 37 thereof, the pinion being mounted to a shaft 75 coupled to a shaft 76 of. a speed- .reducing unit 77 which is driven by a fluid motor 78.

Fluid pressure at all times is supplied to the motor 78 and a torque is thereby applied to the ring gear 36- which drives the shaft 24 in rotation immediately upon the Withdrawal of the finger 57 from a notch 62 or 65 of the index ring. It is for this reason that immediately upon Withdrawal of the finger, the fluid is reversed on the piston 47 to immediately move the slide 54 forwardly so that the finger end 61 will ride on the periphery 73 ahead of the next adjacent notch so that the cam finger 57 will immediately dropwithin the notch upon the rotation of the shaft 24 a distance equal to the spacing between thetwo The shaft 24, and therefore the work supported thereby, will be advanced a predetermined accurate distance located by the radial faces 58 and 63 of the finger 57 and index notch 62. When a workpiece is to have thirty or forty holes drilled therein at equally spaced distances apart, the like number of notches 62 will be equally spaced apart in the peripheral edge of the index plate 39. When however, the tool is to drill holes unequal distances apart, the notches 62 Will be similarly spaced unequal distances apart on the peripheral edge of the index plate. Thus, the tool supporting flange 22 may support a substantial number of tools and the body 38 may support a like number of index rings so that a particular ring will be indexed by a particular finger 57 on an associated slide 54 to index the particular tool relative to points on the workpiece it is to operate on.

When different tools are'to operate on the same point, such as a chamfering tool operating on a series of holes produced by a drilling tool prior thereto, the same index plate may be employed with both tools. When all of the holes are to be tapped, the same index plate may also be used with the tapping tool. When larger size holes are to be drilled at different points, a second drilling tool'will be mounted on the tool supporting flange 22 and a corresponding indexing ring 39 will be utilized therewith to locate the points at which the drilling is to occur. Similarly, if boring and milling operations are to performed at other points, additional indexing rings, each associated With its respective tool, will be utilized for locating the workpiece accurately relative to the tools. It will be noted, therefore, that while the machine is not a highproduction machine in which forty holes may be drilled by forty spindles, the machine is a semihigh production machine in that the forty holes would be drilled seriatim, either by one or a plurality of drilling tools, with a single mounting of the workpiece. As indicated above, the drilling, punching, chamfering, tapping, boring, milling and like operations may be performed on the workpiece in its initial clamped position through the operation of the tools, one after the other, and the indexing of the workpiece to predetermined positions by the index rings which correspond to the tool which is being operated.

The tool supporting flange 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, has a coolant-receiving trough 79 in which the coolant supplied to the tools may collect and pass through interconnected passageways 81 into a lower outwardly extending trough 82. A coolant tank 89 is mounted on the subbase 84 and supports a motor 91 which drives a coolant pump 92 for distributing coolant to the tools which are supported on the tool supporting flange 22.

A power unit 83, as illustrated in FlGS. l and 2, is also mounted on the subbase 84 on the opposite side of the machine from that occupied by the coolant tank 89. The power unit comprises a fluid tank 85 and a motor 86 which drives a pump 87 at operating pressure and a pump 88 at pilot pressure. The fluid at pilot pressure is continuously delivered to the fluid motor 78 so as to have the motor apply torque at all times to the shaft 24 for immediately turning the shaft when the shaft is released. The flow of pilot fluid is also used for operating the piston 47 which withdraws the index finger from a notch in the index ring. Fluid at operating pressure is employed for operating the tools at delivered pressure or at a higher pressure if a booster is employed which is actuated by the operating pressure when a higher pressure is required. Such a unit employing the booster for raising thepressure and also the control valves and the selector valve for delivering fluid at low and high pressure is illustrated, described and claimed in the copending application of 'Otto Mueller, Serial No. 154,909, filed April 10, 1950. The higher pressure is employed for producing the final punching operation of a standard C type punching device 96 mounted upon 'thetool supporting slide 97. t

It is the practice in the art to employ the operating pressure from the pump 87 to move the punch 98 into engagement with the workpiece 99 and thereafter employ a greater pressure, obtained through the booster 93, for

actuating the piston in the cylinder of the punching device 96 to force the punch 98 through the metal of the workpiece. The workpiece 99 herein illustrated comprises a pan-shaped element having a bottom web 101, with an inwardly directed flange 10.2 thereabout which is clamped onto a work supporting table. 103 on the shaft 24 by a bar 104 and screw 105.

The work supporting slide 97 is illustrated more specifically in FIGS. 6, 7 and as comprising a clamping member 106 embodying a web 107 having a projecting wall 108 forming one side of a dovetailed slot and having another projection 109 which is engaged by a wedge 111 to form the other side of the dovetailed slot and the clamping member therefor. The tool supporting flange 22 has an annular dovetailed projection 120 at the top with which the arcuate dovetailed slot formed by the extending wall 108 and the wedge 111 mates, to be adjusted at any point along the annular dovetail and to be clamped in desired position by the clamping wedge 111. A leadscrew nut 112 is secured to the web 107 by a pair of screws 113, the thread thereof being engaged by a lead screw 114 secured within the boss 115 in which it may be rotated by a nut 110 secured on the outer end thereof. The :boss 115 is a portion of the slide 116 having the tool supporting surface 117 thereon. A shouldered aperture 118 extends through the slide for securing the tool thereto. The forward face of the slide 116 has a gauging block 121 secured thereto by screws 122 for accurately locating the slide relative to the workpiece by the use of suitable gauging means, spacing the slide from the work supporting table 103. The work supporting table may be provided with a gauging block 123, as illustrated in FIG. 2, so as to permit theready setting of the slide each time the tool is changed on the'suppo'rting surface 117. The adjustment of the base plate 107 along the annular dovetail 112 containing a ring gear 124 having teeth 125, is produced by the advancement of the teeth of the pinion 126 therealong, the pinion being cut on the shaft 127 having a hexagonal head 128 thereon. A setscrew 129 has an extending end projecting within a slot 131 in the shaft 127 to prevent the en'dwise movement of the shaft when disposed in an aperture 132 in the base plate 107. By turning the head 128, the pinion 126 operating on the teeth 125 will advance the plate along the dovetail 112 to accurately locate the plate relative to the workpiece. A gauge block 133, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, may be secured on the sideof the plate by suitable screws to have theouter face thereof radially disposed so that the spacing between an adjacent plate 107 may be accurately gauged.

' the work performed thereby may be done as soon as The slide 97 is employed when the tool, such as the standard punch unit 96 or the drill unit 134, as illustrated in FIG. 2, has its own mechanism for driving the punch When tools are employed which are not self-' or drill. driven, such as a boring or milling tool, a slide 135, illustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and =*ll,.is utilized. In this arrangement, the structure is exactly the same as that described above in relation to the slide illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7 and 10, with the exceptionthat a tool supporting slide 136 ismounted upon the tool supporting. surface 117 in a dovetailed slot 137 provided therein." The slot 137 is completed by a dovetailed bar 138:1etained in adjusted position by a plurality of setscr'ews 139, the same as provided in the plate 107. The slide 136 is threaded to the end of the stem 141 on the end of a eylinder 142 whichis movable over a piston 143, having the opposite end of its piston rod 144 secured in a housing 145 attached to the. slide 116.

A control cylinder146 is provided in the housing 145', having a piston 147 therein attached to arod 148, the

which is secured to the cylinder 142 byfa; band/151. When fluid from the cylinder 146 directed into the 'passagew'ay152,the cylinder 142 isfl ine've d; to'the left, as viewed in FIG. 9 and "the piston 147rnoves along 5. therewith since the end of the adjusting screw 149 is carried to the left by the cylinder 142 when urged by the fluid from the conduit 153. The forward movement of the cylinder is permitted as the fluid between the piston 1'43 and the right-hand end of the cylinder 142 is conducted through passageways 154 and 155, the apertures 156, the passageway 157, and out through the passageway 158 to tank. When the piston 147 is moved forwardly to the end of the cylinder 146, the apertures 156 are closed, thereby preventing the fluid from leaving the passageway 155 and forcing the fluid in thepassageway 154 to pass by the needle valve 159 before being delivered to tank through the passageway 161. In this arrangement, a rapid movement of the slide 136is obtained to advance the tool to operating position, after which a slow movement, controlled by the rate of passage of the fluid ahead of the piston through the needle valve 159, feeds the tool while performing the boring, milling or similar operation. The time when this occurs is regulated by adjusting the screw 149 which controls the position at which the piston 147 closes off the passage of return fluid and forces it through the needle valve 159. When fluid is reversed in the passageways 154 and 152, a return of the cylinder 142 and slide to the right will occur substantially twice as fast as the initial advancing movement due to the fluid being directed to the righthand side of the piston 1 46 which immediately shifts it to the opposite endof the cylinder from that illustrated. This permits a full Volume of oil to enter the cylinder 142 on the return side of the piston 143 to move the cylinder and slide 132 rapidly to the right, as viewed in the figure, to retracted position. The feed movement is controlled through the adjusting of the threaded portion of the needle valve 158 which regulates the: size of the passage thereabout and after adjustment a nut 162 retains thevalve in adjusted position. In this arrangement, a

quick advancing movement, a proper feed movement,

and rapid return movement are obtained for a tool so that possible.

A limit switch 163 is secured to the side of the slide 136 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 11, having a swinging arm 164 which engages a stop element 165 to move the arm and complete a circuit after the operation on the workpiece has been performed. This switch closes a circuit to operate a valve which produces a flow of fluid through the passageway '71, as illustrated in FIG. 3, to the inner end of the piston 47 of the index mechanism, for the purpose of retracting the slide 54 and permitting the machine to index in the manner referred to hereinabove.

The forward movement of the index slide 54 to notch engaged position operates the limit switch 63 to again set up the cycle of operation for the movement of the slide 136 to perform a boring, milling or other operation. 7

Referring to FIGS. 12 to 14 inclusive, a table v166 is illustrated as supporting a removable ring 167 on dowels 168 which accurately locate the ring on the table. The

'table is driven in rotation by a constant torque supplied by the fluid motor operating through a gear reduction unit on a ring gear 169. The index ring 167 has a plurality of notches, asdescribed hereinabove, protected from dirt and grime by a guard ring 171. An index slide 172 has a boss 173 to which a piston rod 174 is secured. The piston rod isconnected to a piston 175 I When fluid f-romag.

which operates in a' cylinder 176. port 177 is directed to the right of the piston 175, the piston and index slide 172 are moved to the left," as

viewed in the figure. When fluid is directed through a port 178 in a cylinder head 179, the piston and index slide are moved'to the right. The index slide carries a end of which is engageable with an adjusting s'crew'149 J finger 181, similar to the finger 5'7 hereinbefore described.

T'In the present arrangement, a. pair of singlemaltc and break lir'nit switches182 and 133 are mounted i nj'a l manner to have the operat'ing stems 184 engaged by plungers 185 and- 1 86 which extend intoasl'ot 18711;

cycle. from the work sets up a flow of fluid through the passageway 71 to retract the slide 4, and as soon as this the side of the index slide 172. At each end of the retracted or advanced movement of the slide, one or the other of the switches 182 or 183 is actuated except when the finger 181 of the slide strikes the shallow slot 65, at which time the limit switch 182 remains inoperative, which thereby interrupts the further indexing of the machine at the end of the cycle. This specific arrangement is illustrated to show the application of the invention to a machine having a single index ring, which is more or less a single purpose machine, and the fact that one or any number of the index rings may be employed on a machine to operate in conjunction with one or a plurality of tools.

In FIGS. 16 and 17, the invention is illustrated as be ing applied to a longitudinally movable work supporting table 193 rather than a table of the rotatable type. In this arrangement, torque is applied through a speed-reduction unit and a fluid motor to a pinion 188 operating on a rack 189 but which is rest-rained from driving the table by the index plates 191 and 192. It is to be understood that a single or any multiple number of the plates may be employed for controlling the movement of the work supporting table 1 93 longitudinally along its ways. In this arrangement, the housing 45, cylinder 46, piston 47, and rod ends 48 and 4-9 are the same as those hereinabove described with regard to the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 11 inclusive. The index slides 54 are in out-of-aligned relation so that the cam fingers 57 thereof may cooperate with the notches 62 in the respective index plates. The fingers and notches have the same wedging faces as hereinabove described and function in the same manner and the movement of the table is stopped when the finger 57 engages the narrower and shallower slot 65 at the end of the index plate. The workpiece supported on the table 193 is accurately located relative to one or a plurality of tools so that Work may be performed thereon through the rapid indexing of the table, controlled by the notches 62 in the index plates which may be equally spaced or spaced dif ferent amounts apart, depending upon the location of the points at which work is to be performed. The tools are supported in a suitable manner adjacent to the table 193 in position to operate on the workpiece at the particular point indicated by a notch 62 in the index plates.

In accordance with the present invention, a workpiece may be clamped ontoa work table and advanced seriatim past one of a plurality of tools through the operation of a finger in notches of one of a plurality of index plates which are associated with the tool of the group performing the work operation. One or a plurality of plates may control the position of the table for several of the tools which perform operations at the identical spot. Thus, the tool may first drill a series of holes, a second tool may chamfer or countersink the ends of the holes, and a third tool may tap the holes. Since all of these points have the same location, the same index ring may be utilized for controlling the operations, although different index slides may be employed in order to have the cycle interrupted when the shallow tooth is engaged thereby. It is to be understood that when a plurality of the index slides and index rings are employed and a plurality of diiferent tools are utilized, a panel board may be set up to have all of the cycles of each tool run consecutively, or the panel board may be set up to have the cycle [for each tool completed, after which the operator may set up the operation for the next tool and In this arrangement, the retraction of the tool occurs the change in the fluid circuits by the limit switch 6-8, or the limit switches 182 or 183, directs the fluid through the passageway 178 to immediately advance the slide 54. When this occurs, the end 61 of the finger 57 will ride upon't-he peripheral edge 73 of the index ring or one of the plates 191 or 192 to be in position to drop in a notch 43 as soon as the table is advanced. As the finger drops into the notch, the contacts of a limit switch are closed to thereby start the next succeeding tool operation.

It is to be understood that any type of tool may be mounted upon the tool slides and the slides may be provided with advancing means to position the tool relative to the work and to feed the tool thereacross. Thus, various types of tools may perform different operations at different points on a workpiece without requiring the workpiece to be set up for each tool and operation, thereby substantially saving time while more accurately locating the points to be machined.

Referring to FIG. 18, a diagrammatical arrangement is illustrated of the fluid circuits employed in the machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 11 inclusive. In this arrangement, the motor 86 drives the pumps 87 and 88 having conduits 200 and 201 connecting the pumps to the fluid in the tank 83. The fluid from the pump 87 is directed through a conduit 202 to a valve 203 which directs the fluid to the passageway 154 to retract the cylinder 142 and to the passageway 152 to advance the cylinder, the fluid on the opposite side of the piston 143 being returned to tank through the conduit 204. The fluid from the 'pump 88 is directed through the conduit 2135 to the solenoid operated valve 206 and also to the fluid motor 77. The valve 206 and motor are connected to the return conduit 2114 through the conduits 208 and 269.

Referring to the wiring diagram of FIG. 19, the double pole switch 68 has normally open contacts 214 and normally closed contacts 211. As the cylinder 142 advances to perform an operation on the workpiece, an element 212 carried thereby operates a switch 163 at the end of the advancing movement to complete a circuit and energize a solenoid 213 of the valve 2G6. This changes the position of the valve and introduces fluid behind the piston 47 which moves the slide 54 outwardly and retracting the finger 57 from a notch 62-. As soon as the finger 57 leaves the notch 62, the motor 77 constantly applying a torque to rotate the shaft 24, advances the shaft and also the index plate 39. The outward movement of the piston rod 49 actuates the switch 68 which closes the contacts 210 and completes the circuit to the solenoid 214 and opens the contacts 211 and interrupts the circuit to the solenoid 213. The operation of the valve by the energized solenoid 214- provides a rapid flow of fluid to the rear end of the cylinder 142 containing the piston rod 144 and the cylinder is immediately retracted. Upon the interrupting of the flow of fluid to the solenoid 213, the valve 206 is shifted and fluid is delivered to the forward end of the piston 47 to advance the slide 54 inwardly to have the end 65 of the finger 57 abut the periphery of the index ring 59 in position to drop within the next adjacent notch as the ring is advanced. As the shaft 49 moves inwardly, the switch 68 is moved to its inital position, closing the contacts 211 and opening the contacts 210, thereby de-energizing the solenoid 214and permitting the valve to shift to its inital position for advancing the cylinder 142. In this manner, the shaft is'indexed each notch provided in the index plate 39 until the end of the cycle when the finger 57 enters the shallow notch 65 and prevents the closing of the contacts 211 and the opening of the contacts 211). In this position, the solenoid 213 is maintained de-energized and the solenoid 214 maintained energized, thereby retaining the cylinder 142 in retracted position. This permits the workpiece to be changed, and

p when a new workpiece is installed, it is only necessary to cycle as described above, which is completed when the finger again enters the shallow slot 65.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine tool, a table, means for advancing said table, a plurality of index plates accurately positioned on said table for movement therewith, each of said plates having a plurality of stop notches predeterminedly located in the edge thereof at the same or diiferent distances apart, a stop finger positioned adjacent to the edge of each of said plates in position to move into the notches as the table is advanced to stop the table in predetermined positions, a plurality of tools positioned adjacent to said advancing table in position to perform work on a work piece adapted to be mounted on the advancing table, each of said tools being oriented with respect to a different one of said stop fingers, control means for controlling the operation of each of said tools including means for initiating the operation of each tool when the stop finger associated therewith moves into a notch to stop the advancement of the table, said control means including additional means operative in response to the completion of a work operation by a tool to retract the stop finger associated with that tool from the notch into which it has moved to release the table for further advancement, and means responsive to the retraction of each stop finger to reverse its movement and bias the stop finger against the edge of the index plate associated therewith so as to be in position to engage the next notch.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for advancing said table comprises a fluid motor supplying a pressure at all times while the machine is operating for advancing the table.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said table is a rotatable table and said index plates rotate therewith, each of said notches having one face radially disposed, and each of said fingers having a face disposed on a radial line'which is moved into position toengage the radially disposed face of a notch against which it is held by the pressure of the fluid motor.

10 tion to move into the notches as the table is rotated to stop the table in predetermined positions, a plurality of tools positioned adjacent to the rotating table in position to perform work on a work piece adapted to be mounted thereon, each of said tools being oriented with respect to a different one of said stop fingers, and control means for controlling the operation of each of said tools including means for initiating the operation of each tool when the stop finger associated therewith moves into a notch to stop the advancement of the table, said control means including additional means operative in response to the completion of a work operation by a tool to retract the stop finger associated with that tool from the notch into which it has moved to release the table for further advancement.

7. In a machine tool, a table, means for advancing said table, a plurality of index plates accurately positioned on said table for movement therewith, each of said plates having a plurality of stopnotches predeterminedly located in the edge thereof at the same or difierent distances apart, a stop finger positioned adjacent to the edge of each of said plates, means for biasing each of said stop fingers against the edge of the plate adjacent thereto in position to move into the notches as the table is advanced to stop the table in predetermined positions, meansfor retracting each stop finger after it has moved into a notch to release the table for further advancement, and reversing means for reversing the retracting movement of each stop finger after it has released the table so as to move the stop finger back into biasing engagement with the edge ofthe plate whereby thetable can be advanced through a complete a cycle, stopping at a plurality of indexed positions at equal 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein each finger and notch has another face angularly disposed to said radial faces to form a wedge therewith.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4-wherein one of said notches in one of said plates is shallower in depth than the remaining notches, and said control means in cludes means to detect the engagement of a stop finger in the shallower notch to terminate the operation of the machine.

6. In a machine tool, a rotatable table, fluid motor means supplying pressure at all times whilethe machine is operating for rotating the table, a plurality of index rings coaxially mounted on said table for rotation therewith, each of said rings having at least one stop notch located in a predetermined position in the peripheral edge thereof, said notches being located at unequally spaced angular positions relative to one another,v a stop finger positioned adjacent to the peripheral edge of each of said rings, means for biasing each of said stop fingers against the peripheral edge of the ring adjacent thereto in posior unequal spacing as determined by the engagement of the stop fingers with the stop notches.

8. The invention as defined in claim'7 wherein one of said notches is shallower than the remaining notches and including detecting means for detecting the engagement of a stop finger in the shallow notch to terminate further advancement of the table.

9. The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for advancing the table comprises a fluid motor supplying a pressure at all times while the machine is operating for driving the table.

References Cited in the file of this patent 2,842,985 Groover July 15, 1958 

